The difference between silicon hydrogel contact lenses and hydrogel contact lenses

Silicone hydrogels and hydrogels are the two main raw materials used to make contact lenses. What are the differences between the two materials?

Silicone hydrogel is an organic polymer material with strong hydrophilicity. It has a double channel of oxygen transport formed by silicon and water. The contact lens made by silicone hydrogel is recognized as the lens with the highest oxygen permeability. In addition, it also has the advantages of high water content, strong moisture, not easy to dry eyes. Due to the addition of silicon molecules, the hardness of the lens is increased, but also requires a correspondingly longer adaptation period, sensitive people may have a stronger sense of foreign body.

Hydrogel is also an organic polymer material with strong hydrophilicity. It is soft and elastic and mainly transmits oxygen through water, so the oxygen permeability of the lens is limited by the water content to a certain extent. Hydrogels are durable and are often used to make long-cycle contact lenses with low water content to ensure that the lenses do not lose water and deformation. Hydrogel contact lenses fit the eyeball best in texture, so they feel comfortable even when you just put them on.

As we all know, oxygen permeability is a crucial parameter for contact lenses. From the perspective of safety and health, the advantages of silicone hydrogel are greater than that of hydrogel, but at the same time, the price of silicone hydrogel contact lenses is much higher than that of hydrogel contact lenses. If you can accept the price of silicone hydrogel and pursue corneal health, you can choose silicone hydrogel contact lenses.

If you wear hydrogel contact lenses for a long time, you may feel dry eyes, but silicone hydrogel can relieve the situation of cornea hypoxia and dryness, and improve the comfort of wearing. Although there is only a word difference between the two materials, the difference is still very big, it is recommended that we fully understand before choosing.